Pile form



June 13, 1944. A, TROlEL 2,351,164

FILE FORM Filed Aug. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. TRQ/EL A 7' TOENEY.

June 13, 1944. A. E. TROIEL P I LE FORM Filed Aug. 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. ARTHUR E.- THO/EL gvfix (Q $414.3

A 7'T'OENEX Patented June 13, 1944 Troiel notation of California Application August 1, 1941, SerialNo. 405,027

Claims. (01. 25-4121) My invention relates to forms, andmore par ticularly to form for use in the casting of piles or the like.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a novel and improved form- (1) Which is assembled from parts that are easily and quickly put together, and which are readily disassembled after setting of the piles has occurred, I

(2) Which enables the casting of a pile having chamfered or beveled edges, I

(3) Which may be assembled in gangs, and when so employed, will enable the casting of a row of adjaoently disposed piles at a time,

(4) Which, when employed in gangs, allows I for the fabrication of a plurality of adjacently disposed piles in proper stacking arrangement, and v (5) Which is applicable in the fabrication of piles of difierent lengths and cross sections.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of the same taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a single N form adapted for the pouring of an individual pile;

Figure 2 is a view in sectionshowing the manner of utilizing the form in a gang assembly for the pouring of a plurality of piles in a neatly stacked arrangement;

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view of an end closure of an individual form;

Figure 4 is a view of a wedge employed in assembling some of the components of the form; Figure 5 is a view of a saddle component em ployed in supporting the side walls at proper elevation; v Figure 6 is a view of a bracing strip for hold.- ing the outer or end walls against spreading away from the rest of the form durin pouring;

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of a pile pro duced by my improved form. In general, my invention involves the construction of a form for the casting of piles each having a tapered end to facilitate driving of the pile. The piles are cast in horizontal position, adjacent each other and one upon the other in neatly arranged and compact stacks, ready for distribution to points of use, after a suitable period has elapsed for curing.

Each form, in so far as the straight or parallel wall portion of a pile is concerned, comprises a pair of parallel walls sustained in upright position upon a flat surface, by horizontal Companies, IIi'c'., Berkeley, (lalifi. a corspacer bars across the upper wall edges. The flat surface may be a suitably prepared flooring, or'the upper surface of a previously formed pile. Chamfered or beveled edges or corners are realized by' providing a chamfer strip adjacent the upper edge of each wall facing inwardl and corresponding chamfer strips in the lower corners of the form. I

By providing an additional chamfer strip adjacent the upper edge of each wall, but facing outwardly, a series or gang of forms may be constructed, wherein each wall, except the first and last walls of the gang, is common to adjacent forms. The construction is such as to enable these walls to be slipped out of position, following setting of the piles, thus freeing them ior subsequent use and leaving the piles closely adjacent each other and neatly stacked.

The tapered end of each pile is formed by affixing to one end of each wall of a form, a wall extension which is angularlydisposed toward the opposed wall extension, the two together being joined at their exposed ends by a closure plate or the like.

At the remote end of each form, which corresponds to the top of a pile, the form is closed .by an" end: plate or closure having inwardly directed chamfered rims, which serve to put a 'chamfer or bevel around the top edges of the finished pile.

Provision is made for the-supporting of a reinforcing'network in the form prior to pouring of the concrete, whereby the pile will be adequately strengthened to withstand the blows of a pile driver and the rough usage to which piles are exposedinuse.

For. a more detailed description of my invention, reference'will be had to the aforementioned drawings forming part of this application.

Each form, insofar as it applies to the casting of a single pile, comprises a pair of straight sid walls I terminating at one end in side wall extensions 3 which are angularly disposed toward each other to form the tapered end of a finished pile. The other end of the form is closed by a suitable cap or closure 5 to determine the top of the finished pile.

Each of the-side walls I .constitutes'a rectangular sheet 1, preferably of metal; having its lower edge notched at spaced intervals. Each notch 9 is-of a generally tapered shape obtained by stepping each edge thereof.

; Adjacent the opposite or upper edge or each wall there is provided a chamfer strip ll facing interiorly oftheform. Also adjacent the I of an adjacent form, as

same edge of the wall is another chamfer strip l3 facing exteriorly of the particular form under consideration. Both chamfer strips are bridged across the upper edges thereof by a crossstrip I which serves to rigidify the side wall proper.

In the plane of the rectangular sheet I and extending upwardly at spaced intervals between the chamfer strips l I and I3 and through the bridging strip I5, are a plurality of gripper plates ll. Each gripper plate is provided with holes l9 therethrough for the reception of suitable lifting hooks (not shown), while at an intermediate point on the edge thereof, each gripper plate is provided with a notch 2|. 7

In assembling the side walls I" to fabricate a' form, they are supported edgewise upon a flat surface by spacer bars 23 having notched ends for engagement with the notched gripper plates l1, these spacer bars serving to retain the side walls in upright parallel position.

Upon the flat surface and adjacent the side walls, chamfer strips 25 are positioned. These may preferably be formed of strips of Wood of triangular cross section to give the proper bevel in the finished pile.

At one end of each side wall, namely, that end which terminates in the tapered end of the pile, each side wall has affixed thereto a short inwardly turned connecting link 21 having an outwardly crimped edge 29, and to this strip there is temporarily assembled the side wall extension 3 which has a similarly outwardly crimped edge 3| adjacent the'edge 29, thus enabling the wall extension to be held in fixed relationship to the link 21 by a holding clamp 33. The holding clamp has oppositely disposed turned-in edges 35 adapting the same to be slid into position with the inturned edges enclosing the adjacent edges of the link and wall extension. A perforated lifting tab 31 at one end of the wedge facilitates withdrawal of the same when desired.

The free end of each of the side wall extensions 3 is preferably provided with an angle iron strip 39, whereby the side wall extensions may be bridged by a closure plate 4| which serves to rigidly hold the extensions in tapering relationship.

The closure 5 for the top end of the pile is formed from a rectangular plate 43 having its edges bent inwardly to constitute chamfer strips 45, while the corners of the plate are trimmed off to permit of the closure being inserted into the open endof the form. .At each corner of the closure on the outer surface thereof, a smallright angle bracket 41 is welded. The turned-up portion 49 is perforated to slidably receive a nail 5|. The closure'is removably' secured in assembled position by adjusting'each of the nails so as to engage the chamfer strip inits associated corner of the form. Where the chamfer strips are of wood, the nails may-be hammered into the same, and where the chamfer strips-are of metal, as along the upper edge of the side walls, the chamfer strips may be provided with spaced perfora tions to receive the nails.

In utilizing a form, a reinforcing network 53 is suspended therein, from the'spacer bars 23,

after which the concrete may be poured and then allowed toset.

The provision of chamfer strips along the upper edge of each side wall and facing outwardly, en ables each side wall tofunction as the side wall clearly depicted in Figure 2, whereby a gang offormszmaybe' assembled in a manner similar to the assembling of the individual form previously described.

The outside wall of each end form must be provided with suitable bracing to preclude spreading thereof upon pouring of the concrete. This is accomplished by employing a bracing strip which is notched at spaced points, equal to the distance between the side wallsof the form, thereby enabling the strip to be inserted on edge through oppositely disposed notches 9 in the lower edge of the side walls, and locked therein by rotating the bracing strip when the notched portions thereof are in alignment with the plane of the side walls. The strip is of a length to extend a ,shortdistance beyond the outer wall, and has a longitudinal slot 51 formed in this extending portion, in slight spaced relationship to the outside wall. Such spacing provides for the positioning of a small cross section beam 58 across the bracing strips adjacent the outer wall, and

.the reception of a slotted disk or plate over the exposed end of the bracing strip, to be positioned against the beam, whereas, the longitudinal slot 5'! permits of the reception of a suitable wedge 59 which may be hammered into position to hold the outer wall against displacement when the concrete is poured into the form.

After the concrete has been poured and the piles have set, the forms may be readily disassembled, the gripper plates l1 providing a convenient means for lifting the side walls from between the piles, to be subsequently employed in a similar manner. The forms may then be reassembled in a manner enabling the pouring of piles into position upon those which have previously been formed. In setting up the forms for this purpose, the chamfer strips in the lower corners of the forms will be substantially semirectangular in cross section, or they may be made up of two chamfer strips of right angle cross section, and theexposed surface of the under pile may be covered with paper or the like to provide a smooth surface and prevent adhesion between superposed piles.

Suitable provisions must be made when assembling the forms upon piles which have previously been fabricated, to maintain the side walls of the forms at proper elevation, and thereby preclude them from slipping down between the piles below. For this purpose, I have provided a mit the side wall to settle lowerthan a saddle,

the length of which is equal to the widest portion of the notch. Therefore, it will be apparent from this, that by employing spacer bars of different lengths, or providing a series of notches therein to straddle differently spaced walls, in conjunc tion with saddles of different lengths, the cross section of the piles may be varied at will. H I

By reason of the thinness of the -walls of. the forms, the various piles will be disposed closely adjacent one another in neatly arranged stacks, and each pile will have its edges beveled-or cham fered, not only longitudinally'the'reof, but at the top end of each pile.

tered at will as desired, merely by providingfor the addition of suitable lengths of side wall sections, and these may readily be joined one to another in any suitable manner, as by bolts or other known Ways.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of my invention in considerable detail, the same may be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I, accordingly, do not desire to be limited in my protection to the details of the embodiment disclosed, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material having a supporting side, said side being provided with spaced notches, the edges .of each of which are stepped to impart a decreasing width thereto to receive supporting means of different sizes in accordance with a desired effective height of said wall when embodied in a form;

2. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material having a chamfer strip angularly supported adjacent an edge of said sheet to one side of the plane thereof, a similar chamfer strip angularly supported adjacent the same edge but to the other side of the plane of said sheet, said rectangular sheet having its opposite edge free of attached chamfer strips, and a gripper plate lying in the plane of said sheet between said first mentioned chamfer strips and having connection with said sheet.

3. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material having its supporting edge provided with spaced notches, each of said notches having its sides of stepped formation to form a tapered notch with its longest width at the edge of the sheet, and a chamfer strip adjacent the opposite edge of said sheet to one side of the plane thereof.

4. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material having its supporting edge provided with spaced notches, each of said notches having its sides of stepped formation to forms a tapered notch with its longest width at the edge of the sheet, a chamfer strip adjacent the opposite edge of said sheet to one side of the plane thereof, and a similar chamfer strip also adjacent said opposite edge but to the other side of the plane of said sheet.

5. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material having its supporting edge provided with spaced notches, each of said notches having its sides of stepped formation to form a tapered notch with its longest width at the edge of the sheet, a chamfer strip adjacent the opposite edge of said sheet to one side of the plane thereof, a similar chamfer strip also adjacent said opposite edge but to the other side of the plane of said sheet, and means whereby said sheet may be raised in a vertical plane.

6. A form wall comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of material havingits supporting edge provided with spaced notches, each of said notches having its sides of stepped formation to form a tapered notch with its longest width at the edge of the sheet, a chamferistrip adjacent the opposite edge of said sheet to one side of the plane thereof, a similar chamfer strip also adjacent said opposite edge but to the other side of the plane of said sheet, and a3 gripper plate lying in the plane of said sheet between said chamfer strips and having connection with said sheet. 1

7. A form comprising a pairof spaced upstanding walls, each of a substantially rectangular sheet of material having a supporting side, said side being provided with spaced notches of decreasing width, a wall extension hingedly connected at one end of each of said walls, and

.means for rigidly holding said wall extensions in a position approaching each other, to provide a tapering end to said form.

8. A form comprising a pair of spaced upstanding walls, each of a substantially rectangular sheet of material having a supporting side, said side being provided with spaced notches of decreasing width, a wall extension hingedly connected at one end of each of said walls, means for rigidly holding said wall extensions in a position approaching each other"; to provide a tapering end to said form, and afclosure removably secured at the other end of said form.

9. A form comprising a plurality of substantially upstanding walls, each of said walls including a substantially rectangular sheet having a plurality of spaced notches of decreasing width along its bottom edge and a plurality of gripper plates disposed at intervals along the upper edge thereof, spacer bars extending acrtgs the upper edges of said walls and engaging said gripper plates to rigidly support said walls in predetermined spaced relationship to one another, and means for suspending reinforcing network elements between said walls from said spacer bars.

10. A form comprising a plurality of substantially upstanding walls, each of said walls including a substantially rectangular sheet having a plurality of spaced notches of decreasing width along its bottom edge and a plurality of gripper plates disposed at intervals along the upper edge thereof, spacer bars extending across the upper edges of said walls and engaging said gripper plates to rigidly support said walls in predetermined spaced relationship to one another, a chamfer strip extending along each side of each of said walls adjacent its bottom edge and supported independently thereof, and a saddle extending through each of said notches and straddling said chamfer strips to provide supporting means for determining the effective height of said form.

ARTHUR E. TROIEL. 

